The craft of shoemaking has been rooted in the Birkenstock family for generations. The beginnings of the shoemaking dynasty can be traced back to the year 1774, the first documented mention of Johannes Birkenstock (1749-1812).

The Birkenstock shoemaking family has its roots in Langen-Bergheim. In the village on the trade route between Frankfurt and Leipzig, the Birkenstock family laid the foundation for its shoemaking dynasty, establishing itself in the wide-ranging shoemaking trade but without reaping any financial success.

Johannes Junior (1790-1866), nephew of Johannes Birkenstock, continued the tradition as a shoemaker, supported by his son Johann Conrad (1819-1888). The family's continued poverty caused the two to rebel against the state: In the middle of the 19th century, both joined the German freedom movement, which culminated in the revolution of 1849. They seek to improve their poor conditions – unsuccessfully at first. The revolution of 1948/49 fails. In the long term, though, the revolution gave important impetus to the founding of the German Empire in 1871 and was one of the origins of democracy and fundamental rights in Germany.

Birkenstock shoemaker’s workshop opens

The fourth generation of the Birkenstock family, the shoemaker Konrad Birkenstock (1873-1950), son of Johann Conrad, sells the family’s possessions in the countryside after his parents' early death, leaves his home region and opens a shoemaker's workshop in Frankfurt am Main in 1896.  

The anatomical last from Birkenstock

Like other young master shoemakers, Konrad is inspired by the so-called "shoe reform" movement and its theories. Konrad develops the first fully three-dimensional last in 1897. This is the first time that the anatomy of the human foot is mapped and a distinction made between the left and right foot, even anatomically shaping the downward-facing sole of the foot, which distinguishes his lasts from those of other shoemakers. 

The flexible insole from BIRKENSTOCK

Konrad Birkenstock continues to pursue his vision of healthy shoes and develops the idea of "healthy footwear." To this end, besides his last, he also has to invent the corresponding inner part of the shoe – the insole. Until then, common insoles were flat and did not fill the space between the sole of the shoe and Konrad's fully three-dimensional last, which is why he develops an anatomically shaped insole, his flexible insole. He registers the combination of both innovations as a "healthy footwear" utility model.

In contrast to conventional models, Konrad’s insole is an innovation in the field of foot health. It is not only anatomically shaped, but also flexible. The usual models of the time, especially for healing purposes, are made of metal. Starting in 1909, Konrad Birkenstock sells two of his four flexible insoles under the designation "footbed."  

The perfect mix of materials

However, he continues to experiment with the mix of materials for his flexible insole for years. Besides thermoplastic properties, the material must guarantee the necessary flexibility, but can't lose its supportive effect, either. Initially the material mix consists of cardboard and leather, then increasingly latex, tar and even cork portions are used. It wasn't until 1912 that Konrad Birkenstock found a material mix that he was satisfied with, for the time being. 

First World War

During the First World War, Konrad Birkenstock works in the orthopedic department at the Friedrichsheim Hospital in Frankfurt am Main, where there is already extensive orthopedic treatment and research. Meanwhile, his eldest son Carl gives specialist lectures on the advantages of Birkenstock's health footwear on behalf of his father – the "Birkenstock SYSTEM," as it is henceforth called – trying to win over other shoemakers.  

The first factory and the "footbed"

In 1915, his difficult financial situation prompts Konrad Birkenstock to move to Friedberg, a small town north of Frankfurt. There he builds the first machine production facilities for his flexible insoles and registers a limited liability company for this purpose in 1920. Five years later, he relocates to a small factory and expands the machine production of BIRKENSTOCK insoles. In 1925, Konrad Birkenstock registers the "Footbed" trademark for Konrad Birkenstock GmbH.  

Foot health in focus: the ideal shoe

Carl Birkenstock (1900-1982) continues to develop the insoles with new materials and rigorously advances the "Birkenstock SYSTEM." Since foot health can only be achieved if the insoles are adjusted professionally, Carl resorts to a radical step: He only sells the flexible insoles to shoe retailers and shoemakers if they complete his training course.

The findings from his shoe conferences and courses, combined with his empirically well-founded considerations, lead him to invent the "ideal shoe" – a logical evolution of his father's healthy footwear. In 1936, Carl is ready to file a patent for his innovation. In the 1940s, he fabricates several hundred pairs of this shoe by hand. However, the "ideal shoe" never goes into series production.

BIRKENSTOCK during the Third Reich

At the time of National Socialism, the Birkenstock family runs three small businesses. The larger one – Gebr. Birkenstock GmbH, Steinhude – has up to 13 employees. The smaller company, Konrad Birkenstock GmbH, was still located in Friedberg. Heinrich Birkenstock opened his own small business in Büdingen, not far away.

Soldiers who suffer harm to their feet from wearing unhealthy boots for weeks and months use the flexible insoles to relieve their pain, causing sales to increase during the Second World War, as they did in the First World War. However, the insoles are only purchased privately; there is no business relationship between the Birkenstock companies and the Nazi regime.

Ideologically, the family is not close to the National Socialists. Carl Birkenstock joins the Nazi party in 1940 – relatively late – in order to protect himself from local attacks by the National Socialists, while the other family members join neither the party nor other Nazi organizations.

The Birkenstock family never does business with the National Socialists, does not produce military goods and does not act as a supplier. Likewise, no Jewish-owned properties or companies are acquired. There are no forced laborers in any of the small businesses.

As a multi-generational business whose roots can be traced back to 1774, BIRKENSTOCK is facing up to its history proactively. Therefore, in 2018 BIRKENSTOCK commissioned the Gesellschaft für Unternehmensgeschichte (GUG) to review the history of the family and the company from 1897 (invention of the anatomically shaped last) to 1963 (when the Original Birkenstock-footbed sandal was invented) as well as the early beginnings of the shoemaking tradition of the family in the 18th century based on scientific standards.

The comprehensive project is led by Dr. Schneider-Braunberger, managing director of the GUG, who is a distinguished historian and an expert in the field of history of Corporate Germany during the National Socialism. Although there was no evidence of any involvement in the Nazi system up to that point, the company felt it was important to have this period examined in depth as part of the historical research process.

You can read the extensive research results in Dr. Andrea Schneider-Braunberger’s book: “BIRKENSTOCK: The Evolution of a Universal Purpose and Zeitgeist Brand”, published on June 11, 2024 by Prestel (ISBN: 978-3-7913-9332-2).

A summary of the main findings of the study on BIRKENSTOCK during the National Socialist era can be found here.

The next generation arrives

The BIRKENSTOCK company achieves economic success in the young Federal Republic primarily with the sale of various insoles, particularly the "Blue Footbed." While Carl Birkenstock is putting all his energy into producing his "ideal shoe" for the masses, his son Karl joins the company in 1954. In 1961, Carl finally abandons his attempts to develop the "ideal shoe" together with established shoe factories – the quality and functionality of the shoes do not meet the inventor's requirements, as the shoes are simply too uncomfortable and also the manufacture, especially the subsequent fixation of the insoles by the shoe retailer, is too impractical.  

The creation of an icon: The original BIRKENSTOCK footbed sandal (Madrid)

Karl Birkenstock inherited the joy of experimentation and innovative strength of previous generations, but opts to go his own way. He creates an icon: the original BIRKENSTOCK footbed sandal, which has been sold under the name "Madrid" since 1979. The shoe is healthy for the feet, unisex and has its very own style – minimalist and with clear lines. In 1963, the sandal is placed on the market for the first time and presented at the Düsseldorf shoe fair.

However, just like with the innovations of his ancestors, immediate success fails to materialize. With his unique, brutalism-inspired design, Karl Birkenstock is ahead of his time. Shoe retailers boycott the unusual footwear because it isn't in line with mainstream shoe fashion. Karl finds success with physicians, to whom he sends the shoes in large quantities – recalling that his ancestors always maintained close contact with physicians in order to communicate their idea of foot health to them.

A sandal goes around the world

Karl Birkenstock does not allow his creativity to be slowed down by sluggish sales results. In 1964, he creates his next sandal ("Zürich") and another follows in 1965 ("Roma"). By 1973, "Athens," "Oslo," "Noppy" and "Arizona" are born from Karl Birkenstock's sketchbook. The insole of the Birkenstock sandals invented by Karl, which has since been given the name footbed, as well as the sole of the sandals always remain the same. In contrast, Karl creates new designs by changing the so-called upper. In addition to sandals, Birkenstock continues to sell a number of different insoles.  

Birkenstock USA (1)

In 1966 the German-born designer Margot Fraser visits her home country from California, where she comes across the BIRKENSTOCK brand, whose shoes relieved her foot pain. She is elated and sees a market opportunity. Back in America, Fraser sells the original BIRKENSTOCK footbed sandals in the United States at health food stores and at weekly markets.

Birkenstock USA (2)

In 1972, she founds BIRKENSTOCK Footprint Sandals Inc., the nucleus of today's BIRKENSTOCK USA, which became a rapid success thanks to the reform movements and hippies. In 2002, Margot Fraser retires from her company, but returns briefly In 2004 before Christian Birkenstock acquires a majority stake in Birkenstock Footprint Sandals Inc. He integrates it into the Birkenstock group of companies and enters into a new dealer agreement with the U.S. distributor under the new name Birkenstock Distribution USA Inc.  

BIRKENSTOCK worldwide

In Italy, France and Great Britain, the company gains a foothold above all through existing customer relationships with orthopedic specialist shops and through retailers who sell health-conscious footwear. In the 1980s, BIRKENSTOCK sandals are sold in Japan, and in 1992 Marcel Goerke opens a BIRKENSTOCK store in Australia. The sandals go around the world.

BIRKENSTOCK in the fashion world

BIRKENSTOCK embodies a unique design with its varied models, independent from trends in the fashion world – which discovers BIRKENSTOCK for itself in 1983, with fashion designers seeking authenticity and finding it in the traditional brand's sandals. BIRKENSTOCK sandals are seen on runways, printed in magazines and, from the 2000s onwards, acknowledged as a fashion item. The first collaborations between BIRKENSTOCK and partners follow, super model Heidi Klum being one of the first collaborators in 2003.

Made in Germany

BIRKENSTOCK has always been committed to Germany as its manufacturing base. After the German reunification, various production sites were set up in Saxony. With plants in Görlitz, Bernstadt, Markersdorf and, since 2023, Pasewalk, BIRKENSTOCK still stands for "Made in Germany" to this day. Since Konrad Birkenstock's first innovations, an uncompromising promise of quality has been a key component of the company's philosophy.

From a family business to a global corporation

In order to be able to integrate his sons into the company BIRKENSTOCK Orthopädie GmbH in the 1990s, Karl Birkenstock divided it into various sub-companies and launched various sub-brands, each of which are managed by his sons. After two decades, this multi-brand strategy is being scrapped again in order to preserve the value of the BIRKENSTOCK brand.  

A global group is created

The year 2013 marks the birth of the BIRKENSTOCK Group. Under the leadership of Oliver Reichert, the traditional undertaking successfully manages the transition from a loose association of 38 individual enterprises to a group of companies with three divisions (Production, Distribution, Services). For the first time, management is no longer in the hands of the family – a first in the company's history. Reichert gives the now global company a corporate structure and establishes a global brand strategy for BIRKENSTOCK.

BIRKENSTOCK in the fashion world

In 2019, BIRKENSTOCK opens the creative studio 1774 in Paris. On the one hand, the label stands for the design of its own creations, and on the other for collaborations with design icons such as Dior, Valentino and Manolo Blahnik.  

In May 2021, L Catterton, a leading international investment company with a focus on consumer goods, takes over a majority stake in BIRKENSTOCK together with the family holding Financière Agache of Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH.

Made in Germany

In order to meet increasing demand, the company is increasing production capacity for its entire range and remains committed to Germany as a manufacturing site. In 2022, BIRKENSTOCK invests 100 million euros in a new factory in Pasewalk to significantly expand production. The factory was put into operation in September 2023.  

The footbed, Konrad Birkenstock's revolutionary idea from 1902, which Karl Birkenstock reinvented for sandals in 1963, is still the core of the BIRKENSTOCK philosophy of "walking as nature intended.

The inclusion of BIRKENSTOCK in the plot of "Barbie" – the most successful film of 2023 worldwide with box office sales of over 1.381 billion dollars – underlines what BIRKENSTOCK has always stood for – authenticity and natural walking.

The "Madrid" design icon is part of an internationally traveling exhibition curated by the VITRA Design Museum.